I haven’t kept all of these subscriptions, cause if I did, I’d be spending all my time reading about woodworking instead of doing it. So right now, I am only subscribing to Popular woodworking, Fine Woodworking, and the American Woodturner magazine. I have created a pile of magazines that I have kept for one reason or another, and every once in a while, when the pile looks a bit high, I go through them and recycle the ones I no longer want. If the magazine has just one article I really liked, I might reread it, then toss it. If it has plans I want, I’ll pull out the plans and put them in my plans pile and toss the rest. And some issues are just too good to recycle, so I end up keeping them.

I’d like to state for the record, that all these magazines are fine publications, but as I said before, my tastes have changed. Right now my favorite woodworking magazine is Popular Woodworking. I just started getting Fine Woodworking, and it is a good magazine too, but I really need to sign up for the on-line part of the magazine to really get the full benefit of the publication.

I think I would like to work for a woodworking magazine. That might be fun, after all, aren’t we all here because we love to write about woodworking?

I’d be interested in learning about what magazines you like best, especially, my friends in Europe and Australia. Please let me know what you like best, I’m always on the lookout for something new to read and learn.

8 Responses to Woodworking Magazines

I should first admit that I’ve not looked to closely at many of the American woodworking magazines. Several are available here (in the UK) but, they are more expensive than ‘our own’ publications. However, I do own some excellent books (covering projects, tips and jigs, etc.) from the editors of WOOD Magazine and Fine Woodworking.

I think FWW (or, is it PWW?) do an annual special issue where they cover one specific topic; I usually look out for that one. Last year, I think it was all about the workshop. A year before that, I think it was tricks and techniques?

I’m a big fan of British Woodworking magazine but then, as I also write for them, I’m going to be biased!! 😀 I’ve also been reading Good Woodworking for several years, which has had its ups and downs.I think you can find GWW in the US… From memory, John Looser once did an article on his Extreme Birdhouses, after finding a copy of one issue of this magazine in his local store.

There’s also F&C (Furniture & Cabinetmaking), which has had a reputation for focusing on the high standards of professional makers… But, more recently, it’s had to ‘dumb down’ a little in order to attract the mass market of woodworkers who buy these magazines. Beyond those three though, you’d be looking at titles aimed almost squarely at the beginner, with little incentive for a more ‘seasoned’ woodturner (all in my personal opinion, of course).

Popular Woodworking has been my mainstay for a while, although the magazine I enjoyed the most (and miss very much) was Woodworking Magazine (put out by the same folks as PWW, I believe). I work mostly with traditional hand tools, and these two magazines were very informative in that regard. I buy Fine Woodworking at newstands (magazine stands?), but I like their website subscription more.

By the way, yasher koach for your site and work! I first saw you on the Renaissance Woodworker’s blog and followed your link here.